Government on Tuesday said Ajmal Amir Kasab, who has been sentenced to death in the Mumbai terror attacks case, may be hanged in a year.

"I don't think it (execution of Kasab's sentence) should take more than one year...after all, these are the days of fast tracking cases...," Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily told CNN IBN responding to a question on whether Kasab can be hanged within a year. Talking to NDTV, Moily said since public sentiments are attached with the terror attack, the courts can adopt a speedy proceedure.

"Kasab case will be one such case which needs to fast tracked by the High Court and definitely the verdict should be given," Moily said.

"This is a case where I do not think he (Kasab) can invoke any provision of the mercy petition...The incident of 26/11 involved brutal and barabaric murder. He was an active participant into it... that is how he was convicted and sentenced to death in rarest of rare cases. This has been considered by the judge who has convicted him... sentiments are riding very high. This is a matter, which has to be considered by everyone " Moily said.

On the issue of mercy petitions, the Law Minister said "the time has come. We cannot delay the processing of mercy petitions, whatever it may be. It can be processed early."

Earlier in the day, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said "if there is no petition from him (Kasab) challenging the sessions court verdict in the higher court... he can be hanged by the year-end".

22-year-old Kasab, a Pakistani terrorist, was awarded capital punishment on May six by a Mumbai special court which held him guilty of mass murder and waging war against India, by carrying out the terror strikes in November 2008. PTI